


Nightmares of the Past

by nightshadehorse93



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Memories, Nightmares, mentions of implied suicidal thoughts, phychological scars, triggering warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-03-01 13:59:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2775626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightshadehorse93/pseuds/nightshadehorse93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After fighting and defeating Pitch Black, Bunnymund suffers from nightmares from his past, the day he became the last Pooka.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares of the Past

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo, I'm not gonna put a lot of past happenings in here, I feel like I would be unable to do Bunny's past justice. Bunny will hint at it and North will mention a few bits and pieces here and there. And I can't do North's accent. Just bear with me okay?
> 
> Short little one shot that's been in my head forever, I'm just now bothering to get it down.
> 
> In my opinion there is absolutely no way Bunny could not have PTSD after he realized he was the last of his race. He just handles and hides it better than most, but the tough concrete barriers he puts up have got to crumble sometimes, and he needs someone to lean on, someone to hold him as he cries and regales the horrors he witnessed on the day he became the last Pooka in existence.
> 
> Sorry for any misspellings and for it being so rushed.

It was nearing 2:00 in the morning at the Pole, when soft grumbles and whimpers, began turning into loud cries and screams that could be heard throughout the halls of the North Pole. The owner of the place awoke as the cries reached his ears and faded only to be followed by more screams.For a few moments the man glanced around groggily still not fully awake, when one particular ear-piercing scream echoed through the halls to his office, he was immediately awake and out of his chair throwing his office door open and racing down the halls to aid the one who was screaming.

As he neared the door that lead to a guest room made for one particular Easter Bunny, he noticed his other guest; Jack Frost was standing in front of the door looking worried but not wanting to open the door.

"Jack? What are you doing here?" North asked gently,

"Can't sleep, with Bunny screaming like this. I didn't know what to do, that's why I'm just standing here." Jack answered wincing and stepping back away from the door as the rabbit loosed another loud cry.

"I can go if you want." Jack said uneasily turning to leave,

"No! I may need your help." North said quickly, grabbing Jack's arm turning him back towards him before letting him go.

"OK." Jack answered his voice held determination ready to help his fellow guardian. North nodded and told Jack

"Now, I'm going to wake him up, he may lash out violently so stay back and be ready to move should he bolt."

"What's wrong with him?" Jack asked and North looked at him and answered with one word

"Nightmares." He turned the doorknob and walked in quickly with Jack following.

He walked over to the bed and leaned over the trembling, thrashing, and screaming Bunny, firmly grabbed the rabbit's shoulders and began trying to wake him up. Jack, once he saw the state the normally stoic Easter Bunny was in, he wished he hadn't bothered to get out of bed, he never imagined he'd ever see Bunny crying and screaming like he was, he was shocked and worried for Bunny, what if he hurt himself? What if he didn't wake up?

He looked to North and watched as North continued to try and wake him by shaking him and calling his name. Several seconds went by and then out of the blue, Bunny's eyes snapped open and the cries he'd been releasing turned into loud heavy gasping as he bolted upright almost knocking his head with North's.

  
"Shh, shhh, you're ok, you're alright. It's alright, Bunny, shh." North spoke quietly gathering the sobbing Bunny in his arms, rocking him gently trying to calm him. Bunny's eyes were wide and frightened, his ears plastered against the back of his head, he gasped and sobbed raggedly as he placed his paws over his muzzle, trying to quiet his sobs and clenched his eyes shut. He rested his forehead on North's chest still unable to pull himself together.

"Why? Why do they always come back?!" Bunny wailed "Why can I neva' forget?! Just when I can start ta relax an' put it behind me, they come back!" Bunny cried, his voice full of pain and sorrow.

Jack was still unnoticed by Bunny but not by North, North motioned him over and Jack gingerly moved to sit on the bed, he sat down slowly trying not to startle Bunny, he gave a confused glance to North as he tried comprehend what Bunny was talking about.

North mouthed an 'I tell you later' and Jack nodded and lowered his eyes for a few minutes as North continued to hold and comfort the grief-stricken rabbit. After a few minutes Bunny's sobs and gasps slowed, and he was still letting out a few sniffles now and then, but was otherwise calm and collected. Bunny released a sigh and started to pull away and North let him, he laid down on his side on the bed and stared at- a leg? Bunny let his eyes drift upward and saw Jack peering down at him worriedly, Bunny's green eyes blinked owlishly at Jack

"Are you ok, Bunny?" Jack asked, Bunny blinked again and gave a sniff before answering

"Yeah, for now. Sorry if I woke ya." Bunny said, his voice hoarse from all the screaming he'd done, lowering his eyes away from Jack, one paw fiddling with the sheets.

"Do you need anything?" North asked reaching out and stroking Bunny's sleek side in a comforting manner. Bunny flicked an ear back at North as he felt him running a hand over his pelt.

 

"Maybe some water." Bunny said quietly. "We'll be right back." North said as he and Jack got up.

As they walked down the halls towards the kitchen, North began explaining what Bunny had been talking about.

"Bunny has been left with terrible scars that can never be erased, Jack. Before any of us met Bunny he had lived with a large and numerous clan of a Pooka tribe, he had family and friends that looked like him, until one day General Kozmotis Pitchner opened the doors of a fearling prison he'd been guarding and the fearlings took hold of the General and turned him into Pitch Black."

  
They entered the kitchen and North grabbed a tea kettle and filled it with water, set tea bags in it and placed it on the stove, turning the burner on he continued his story.  
"A short while later Pitch Black with his fearling army and dream pirates, lay siege to Bunny's home planet, slaughtering or turning Bunny's people into fearlings. The battle was long but in the end, the Pooka race fell until only one was left..."

"Bunny." Jack said in shock, his expression turned to one of sorrow realizing just how alone Bunny really was.

"Yes, Bunny. Wounds like the ones he has, they scab over but they can never heal properly." North said, "Nearly every time we have to battle Pitch, afterwards Bunny more often than not has nightmares about the past and falls into a depression, several times myself, Tooth or Sandy have had to stop him from commiting suicide, it gets that bad. And can last for several weeks to several months. We've been successful so far in keeping him from, as he would say from 'offing himself'."

  
"How do you guys know when he's wanting to kill himself?" Jack asked wincing, North turned to the stove the teapot whistling and turned the burner off and removing the teabags.

"We know because Sandy would warn us, he would see Bunny's dreams, dreams that implied he was thinking of suicide."

Jack's eyes widened in horror at the fact that the Easter Bunny, of all people could think of such a thing. North moved over to a pantry and grabbed some honey and poured some into the tea and mixed it in.

"What's the honey in tea do?" Jack asked, North smiled and continued to stir in the sweet treat.

"Honey in warm tea helps sooth a sore raw throat. Which is just what Bunny needs after all the screaming he did." North answered as he put the honey back in the pantry and grabbed several coffee cups and a tray as well as a couple tall glasses and pitcher of cool water.

The two headed back to Bunny's room and found him still laying in the same position he'd been in before they had left to get him a drink, as they approached the bed he sat up and sighed still shaken from the nightmare.

"We brought honey tea for your throat and water." Jack said softly and Bunny nodded as North set the tray down on the bedstand, without a word he poured Bunny a cup of tea and handed it to him.

Bunny took it with shaky paws and a small "Thanks." he slowly took several small sips, North gave a glass of water to Jack who also sipped his beverage.

Then North poured himself a cup of tea and sat down next to Bunny. The three friends sat in companionable silence for a while just enjoying their drinks and each others company. When Bunny was done with his tea, North gave him a glass half full with water. Bunny took a couple of sips and set it down on the bedstand and lay back down ready to try and go back to sleep.

"We will leave you to rest now." North said as he stood and picked up the tray, Bunny just nodded and tried to relax enough to go to sleep. After they had left the room North turned to Jack,

"You can go and try to sleep some more if you want. I will see you in the morning." Jack yawned and let the wind lift him off the ground.

"Night North."

"Goodnight Jack."

Jack flew back to his room and North made his way into the kitchen to drop the tray of tea, water and glasses. And then he made his way to his own bedroom to get some rest himself.

**Author's Note:**

> I had no intention to bring up the topic of suicide, and for anyone who struggles with said topic I did not mean to trigger anything if I did.


End file.
